The 39th session of the Corps Committee, held in Kraków, Poland, from 1 to 2 September 2010, brought new guidance and a way ahead for the Multinational Corps Northeast.
The 39th session of the Corps Committee, held in Kraków, Poland, from 1 to 2 September 2010, brought new guidance and a way.
Multinational Plenum
The Corps Committee Meeting was hosted by the Polish side, more specifically by the 2nd Mechanized Corps which thus supported the Polish Land Forces Command. The Commander of the 2nd Mechanized Corps Major General Jerzy Biziewski welcomed all the guests and joined them during dinner.
Just like in April, the meeting was also chaired by a Pole, Brigadier General Kazimierz Wójcik, who was assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Krzysztof Komorowski. Danish Lieutenant Colonel Tommy Kjær and German Colonel (GS) Alfons Mais acted as Co-Chairmen. Danish Captain Michael Aakjær and German Lieutenant Colonel (GS) Ingo Reershemius supported the work of the Corps Committee as Secretaries. Additionally, Polish Land Forces Command was represented by Major General Stanisław Nowakowicz and Colonel Zenon Szczybyło assisting the Polish delegation. The Corps side was represented by its Commander, Lieutenant General Rainer Korff, the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Morten Danielsson, the Chief of G3 Division, Colonel (GS) Peter Steinert, the Chief of G5 Division, Colonel Niels Hartvig Andersen as well as Lieutenant Colonel (GS) Volker Quante and Lieutenant Colonel (GS) Lothar Hoffmann from the G5 Division.
Talking about the Future
It was the first Corps Committee Meeting held after the mission of the Multinational Corps Northeast in Afghanistan was accomplished. Therefore, a lot of discussions referred to the future of the Corps, also in the context of current developments within the NATO Command Structure. The most important issues raised were the Commander’s Vision 2015 and ideas for the upcoming Headquarters’ structure review. Since the Vision was given initial consent by the Corps Committee members, it set foundations for possible changes within the Headquarters structure planned for next year.
Other topics discussed during the meeting referred among other things to the new Headquarters’ Command Briefing, which was accepted by the Corps Committee. This official presentation promoting the Corps will not only be available to Headquarters’ members but also to non-members. After all, the Corps foremost idea is the integration of new members; hence, the new motto has also been approved: “NATO Corps of the Baltic Region. In the spirit of integration”.
Cultural Programme
As a matter of fact, the idea of integration was also lying behind the social programme attached to the Corps Committee Meeting. The host of the meeting – 2nd Mechanized Corps – prepared a special cultural programme which included visiting most important sightseeing sites in Kraków and the vicinity. Apart from that, MNC NE Commander Lieutenant General Rainer Korff took the opportunity to have an office call with the Commander of the 2nd Mechanized Corps Major General Jerzy Biziewski identifying possible areas of future cooperation between both Corps.
